Medium AI Risk Much Faster

Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary

SOC Code: 25-1072

Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary carries a 29% AI exposure score (Medium automation risk), with a median annual wage of $79,940 and +16.8% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 91,600 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.

AI Exposure Score
29% Medium

Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)

Projected Growth
+16.8%
2024–2034 (BLS)
+15,300 jobs
Median Annual Wage
$79,940
BLS May 2024
How wage figures are sourced →
The verdict

At 29% AI exposure, Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary sits 8 points below the 37.2% average across 832 U.S. occupations - more exposed than 27% of them. Most of its core tasks still require human judgment.

29%
AI exposure
27th
percentile
+16.8%
Job growth 2024–34
$79,940
Median wage

Where Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary sits among all occupations

AI-exposure score distribution across 832 U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis). This occupation is marked in rose.

AI exposure distribution - Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary marked 1 occupations at 0–10% 1 0 43 occupations at 10–20% 43 10 184 occupations at 20–30% 184 20 332 occupations at 30–40% 332 30 158 occupations at 40–50% 158 40 64 occupations at 50–60% 64 50 29 occupations at 60–70% 29 60 15 occupations at 70–80% 15 70 5 occupations at 80–90% 5 80 1 occupations at 90–100% 1 90 AI exposure (%) →
Top 73% by AI exposure Higher AI exposure than 27% of all 832 occupations.

Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary has ai exposure of 29%. Distribution: 1 occupations at 0-10%; 43 occupations at 10-20%; 184 occupations at 20-30%; 332 occupations at 30-40%; 158 occupations at 40-50%; 64 occupations at 50-60%; 29 occupations at 60-70%; 15 occupations at 70-80%; 5 occupations at 80-90%; 1 occupations at 90-100%.

Source: O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor); AI-exposure scores are PlainWorkforce's analysis. As of BLS 2024–2034.

Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary vs. its occupational neighbors

AI exposure (horizontal) vs projected 2024–2034 growth (vertical) for occupations in the same SOC group. Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary is marked in rose; the top-left corner is the most future-proof.

Future-proofGrowing but exposedStable, lower-AIMost at risk25.4%28.9%32.5%36.1%39.6%-3.0%2.3%7.7%13.0%18.3%AI exposure (%) →Projected growth (%) →Nursing instructorsTeaching assistantsElementary school teSecondary school teaMiddle school teachePreschool teachersSubstitute teachersSelf-enrichment teacHealth specialties tInstructional coordiSpecial education teTutors

Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 (growth) and O*NET (AI-exposure analysis by PlainWorkforce).

Employment Projections

91,600
Employment 2024
106,900
Projected 2034
+16.8%
Change (%)
+15,300
Change (jobs)

Occupation Insight

Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary (SOC 25-1072) carries an AI exposure score of 29%, placing it in the Medium automation-risk tier. This score is computed from O*NET Database 30.0 task-level analysis, where each task an occupation performs is evaluated against current generative AI, robotic process automation, and machine-learning capabilities. A score below 40% reflects tasks anchored in physical dexterity, unstructured environments, or high-touch human interaction that current AI cannot reliably replicate.

The economic context matters alongside the risk score. BLS counted approximately 91,600 workers in this occupation in 2024, and projects a +16.8% change through 2034 - a strong growth outlook that compensates meaningfully for automation risk. Median annual compensation stands at $79,940, reflecting both skill scarcity and the value employers place on the tasks that remain difficult to automate. Entry typically requires Doctoral or professional degree, plus Less than 5 years of related experience.

For career planners, this profile should be read alongside the task, skill, and knowledge breakdowns below and the list of employers whose workforce composition includes Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure. Pair the AI exposure score with the BLS employment projection and wage percentiles above for a complete career assessment.

Education & Entry Requirements

Typical Education
Doctoral or professional degree
Work Experience
Less than 5 years
On-the-Job Training
None

Top Tasks (O*NET)

  1. 1. Evaluate and grade students' class work, laboratory and clinic work, assignments, and papers.
  2. 2. Supervise students' laboratory and clinical work.
  3. 3. Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
  4. 4. Assess clinical education needs and patient and client teaching needs using a variety of methods.
  5. 5. Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
  6. 6. Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as pharmacology, mental health nursing, and community health care practices.
  7. 7. Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
  8. 8. Demonstrate patient care in clinical units of hospitals.
  9. 9. Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
  10. 10. Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.

Key Skills Required

  • Instructing
  • Speaking
  • Learning Strategies
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Active Listening
  • Writing
  • Critical Thinking
  • Active Learning
  • Monitoring
  • Judgment and Decision Making

Knowledge Areas

  • Medicine and Dentistry
  • Education and Training
  • Psychology
  • English Language
  • Biology
  • Customer and Personal Service
  • Mathematics
  • Therapy and Counseling
  • Sociology and Anthropology
  • Computers and Electronics

Frequently Asked Questions

Will AI replace Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary?

Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary has an AI exposure score of 29%, indicating a medium level of automation risk. The majority of tasks in this role require human judgment, creativity, or physical presence that AI cannot easily replicate.

What is the job outlook for Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary?

According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary is projected to grow by 16.8% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 91,600 workers.

What skills are needed for Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary?

Key skills for Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary include Instructing, Speaking, Learning Strategies, and others. Typical entry-level education is Doctoral or professional degree.

How much do Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary earn?

The median annual wage for Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary is $79,940, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024). Actual earnings vary by location, experience, industry, and employer. The BLS publishes detailed wage percentiles by region in its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.

What education is required for Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary?

The typical entry-level education for Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary is Doctoral or professional degree. Employers generally expect Less than 5 years of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves None. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.

Which companies employ Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary?

Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary roles exist across many industries and employers. Workforce composition is estimated from BLS industry-occupation employment distributions matched to SEC-registered public companies.

AI Exposure Rating

1.4
out of 5.0

Medium automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. Most tasks require human judgment and are resistant to automation.

Data sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET Database 30.0. Employment figures are rounded. Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (OES).

Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainWorkforce Editorial

Every figure on PlainWorkforce is rendered directly from BLS/O*NET source data, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these figures, or report a data error. Data current as of BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.